Ice-saw.



'IL H. MAPES.

1GB SAW.

-APPLIUATION FILED APR. 13, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

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J. H. MAPES.

10E SAW.

APPLIUATION FILED APB. 13, 190B. 956,812. y Patented May 3,1910.

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JOHN H. MAPES, OF BURLINGTON, IOWA.

ICE-SAW.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN H. MAPEs, citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Saws, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a mechanism for cutting ice from fields, and particularly to a mechanism which is moved across the ice field in the direction of the out and carries a saw which will cut vertically down into the ice in the same manner as the hand-operated saw and horse-operated plows in use today, only much more expeditiously.

The invention consists, generally speaking, in the use of a carriage having mechanism whereby it may be propelled across the ice,

and preferably having a motor, such as a gasolene motor, for propelling it. This carriage carries a circular saw whose edge cuts into the ice, the saw being driven by thecarriage motor. Preferably, in connection with the carriage, I use a sectional track which may be easily taken up behind the carriage and laid down in front of it, so that the ma chine may travel to any. extent desired across the ield.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, ref erence is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is aside elevation of my im.- proved machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectiong'Fig. .4 is a fragmentary detail section, enlarged, of the adjusting rack; and, Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the same.

Correspondingand like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings byv similar reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 2 2 designates track sills which are spacedfrom each other and held to each other by means -of the transverse spacing bars 3. These spacing bars may beof any desired construction, but preferably take vthe form of bolts having a pair-of clamping nuts on both ends thereof, adapted to clam the track section between them. Preferably, I form the track in two .or more sections, veach one of the sections being alike. The abutting ends of the' two sections of the track are out away so as to ft'over and interlock .with each. Othef- AS;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 13, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910. serial No. 489,579.

shown, I form the ends of one of the sections of track with a cut-away portion on its upper face, as at 4c, and provide it with the upwardly projecting pins 5. The other section of track, on its lower face and at its end, is also cut away so that the end of the last named track section will fit over the end of the first named section. This cut-away portion is designated 6, and is provided with the holes wherein the pins 5 may fit. Thus, the two sections of track will be interlocked with each other against any longitudinal relative movement, but may be easily sepa rated. Both ends of each vof the track sections are formed in the same manner, so that the track may be taken up behind the carriage and laid down in front of it. I do not wish to be limited to any particular man ner of connecting the track sections or preventing their longitudinal movement. The upper face of each of the sills of the track sections is formed with a toothed rail 8 of any desired character. l

The saw is supported upon the carriage which consists of the two sidepieces 9 connected at their ends by the cross bars 10 and preferably connected at their middle by the brace 11, this brace preferably carrying means, such as the clamp nuts 12, whereby the two sidepieces may be drawn into solid engagement with the cross pieces. Mounted in the sidepieces 9 at opposite ends thereof, are the transverse shafts 13 and 14, the shaft 13 being an idle shaft and carrying at opposite ends the toothed wheels 15 which engagewith the teeth on the rails 8. These toothed wheels 15 may be either loose on'the shaft 13, or the shaft itself may rotate in bearings. The interior faces of the gears 15 are provided with the flanges 16 which` engage with the sides of the rail 8 to keep the carriage on the track. The forward shaft 14 is rotatable and is the driven shaft. It carries at its ends the toothed gear wheels 17 having the flanges 18, and also carries a sprocket wheel 19, whereby the shaft is driven. Itwill be obvious that the rotation of the shaft 14: will drive the carriage over the rails S.

Supported upon the sidepieces -9 of the carriage, are the sidepieces 20. These are rigidly fastened to the rear ends of the si epieces 9 and carry. between them the power shaft 2l which is ydriven by any suitable motor 22. This motor may be of any desired` character, such as a gasolene engine.

Mdunted transversely in the forward ends of the side ieces 20, is thecountershaft23 which carries a sprocket wheel 24 engaging with a sprocket chain 25 which passes overv thus be seen that `the power shaft 21 drives v the eounte'rshaft 23 which in turn drives the propelling shaft '14. As before stated, the sprocket wheel 27 is loose on the shaft 23,

` but is provided on one side with one member of a clutch, the other member 30 of `which is fixed on the shaft 23. A lever 31 is pivoted to a crosspiece 32 so that its end will engage with the sprocket wheel 27 and shift it out of engagement with the clutch member 30.- A sprin" 33 surrounds the shaft and is adapted to 'force the-shiftable sprocket wheel into engagement with .the clutch mehr' `ber unless the sprocket wheel is held out of engagement therewith by the lever 31. This lever 31 is preferably provided with a link 34 which extends laterally to the side of the carriage where it ma be easily operated.

The saw is carrie on 'a piveted frame composed of two sidepieces 35 whichare pivoted at their rear Vends to the forward -e'nds of the sidepieces 20, the pivot of the sidepieces 35 bein the Shaft 23. Preferably, the front ends ofj the sidepieces 2O are cut away on their inside faces as at 36, while the outer faces of the sidepi'eces 35 are cut away in conformity/thereto, so that k'the side pieces will pivotally turn upon the shaft 23 around the ends of the sidepieces 20. At their forward ends the sidepieces 35 are downwardly turned, as at 38, to form supporting bearings for a saw mandrel 39'which carries latene end the circular ice lsaw 40 and at its other end carries a spreclretwheel 41 whic'hisv driven from a sprocket wheel 42 on the shaft 23 vby means of a sprocket chain 43. It will be seen that as the sprocket wheel 42 is mounted on the' pivot of the saw frame, `the sprocket wheels41 and 42 will always have the same relative distance, no

matter whether the saw frame be elevated or depressed, 1t will also be Lobvious that 1a rotation of the shaft 23 from the power shaft2'1 will rotate the saw blade, and inasmuch as the sprocket wheel 42 is of consid erably larger diameter than the sprocket wheel 41, the latter will be revolved at a relatively 'high rate of s f d. '1n order to raise and lower the saw f ame, I preferably slot the sdepieces v33, and mount upon the upper faces of' the forward ends of the sidepiecesl 9 ,the upwardly` and rearwardly curved toothed "bars 44. These are toothed on A'their outer edges for engagement lwith `eresia t teeth on a shaft'45 which is carried'in the forward ends of the sidepieces 35; B ro;

tating this shaft, the saw frame wil be raised or lowered, turning upon its pivotal axis, as described. The end of the shaft 45 is-provided with a crank 46, whereby-it may be operated, Vand the shaft is also provided with a ratchet 47 engageable by a pawl 48, whereby the shaft may be held in any rotative position,.and thus the saw frame held in any adjusted position at any degree of elevation required. y v The o eration of my invention will be obvious. llhe track sections are laid down upon the ice in the direction of the out, and the carriage placed upon the saine. The motor is started up and the sprocket wheel 27 is thrown into engagement with the clutch on the shaft 23. Immediately this occurs, the carriage is propelled along the track, and at the same time the saw is rotated, cuttinginto the ice. It will be seen that at any `time that it is desired to stop the'carriage,

it is vonly necessary to throw the clutch to 'disengage the driving sprocket from the countershaft. By elevating the saw frame,

the saw may be entirely cleared from the ice,

that they may be changed in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. InV an apparatus of the character described, a carriage, toothed driving wheels upon which the carriage is supported and by which it is propelled, a power shaft, a countershaft mounted parallel to the power shaft, gearing between the power shaft and the conntershaft, a sprocket wheel freely rotatable upon the countershaft, a clutch connecting the, ysprocket wheel to its shaft, a shaft on which' the propelling wheels are mounted, a sprocket wheel thereon, afspr'oeket chain connecting said last named sprocket wheel with the sprocket wheel on the countershaft, a frame pivoted upon the carriage for vertical movement, a saw mandrel carried thereon, a saw on the mandrel, a sprocket wheel on the oountershaft, and a Ghain connecting the mandrel sprocket wheel Vand the countershaft sprocket wheel.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a carriage composed of spaced side pieces, axles carried in the 'side pieces and having toothed propelling wheels, a power shaft,an intermediate shaft, connections 'between rthe power lshaft and the intermediate shaft, 'connections betweenthe intermediate shaft and one of said axles, means for throwing the axles ont of 'gear with the intermediate shaft,

opposed saw frames pivoted upon the carrlage, the axial center of the saw-carrying frame being coincident With the said intermediate shaft, the end of Said saW-carrying frame extending beyond the end of the carriage and projecting downward, a mandrel carrying a saw and mounted in the pivoted saw frame, in the downwardly projecting ends thereof, a sprocket wheel on the end of said mandrel, a sprocket wheelon said intermediate shaft, a sprocket chain connecting the two wheels, upwardly and rearextending curved bars mounted in said bars being toothed, a shaft in the saw frame having ears engaging the toothed bars, and a paw]g and ratchet mechanism for holding the shaft from rota tion.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. MAPES. [L s] Witnesses:

C. L. BARTLETT, H. SCHLEMER.

wardly the saw frame, 

